Sequel to the acceptance of President Goodluck Jonathan to seek re-election in 2015, the Presidential Declaration Committee held its inaugural meeting on Friday at the Banquet Hall of the State House.
The meeting was attended by most members including Governors Theodore Orji of Abia, Ibrahim Shema, Katsina; Ibrahim Dakwambo, Gombe; Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo and Liyel Imoke, Cross Rivers.
Prompt News recalls that the commitee headed by a former Minister of Defence, Mohammed Bello Haliru, was constituted on Thursday at a meeting between President Jonathan and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains at the Presidential Villa.
Addressing State House correspondents after the inaugural meeting, the Chairman, Bello Haliru, announced that the President will formally make his intension known to Nigerians on Tuesday, November 11, 2014.
Haliru expressed optimism that President Jonathan will accept the calls by Nigerians that he should seek re-election in 2015.
“The President gave us the task to organise the modality of creating a platform for him to meet Nigerians and announce his response to the various calls for him to come out and declare his interest in the presidential election.
“The President has not said anything yet but it is like all Nigerians have called on him. It is our honest hope that he will come out and say yes to the demand of multitude of Nigerians.
“We expect he will say yes but we cannot say yes for him. We will wait for him to speak.
“The date that is fixed is Tuesday, November 11. On that day, there will be a forum for the President to meet Nigerians to announce his decision.
“The venue is yet to be decided. That will be decided at our next meeting.
“When we come out on November 11, the President will face the people of Nigeria and say yes to their demand.
“If he says yes, it will be yes. If he says no, then it is negative. But you are aware that our party, the PDP in all its organs, from the caucus to the Board of Trustees, NWC had decided that President Jonathan should be given the first option of refusal with the PDP ticket.
“If he is going to contest, the PDP will give him preference. As the President, he has performed and we are satisfied with what he has done.
“It is only when he declines that we can look at any other contestant”.
